The ministry of police reacted with a stern warning to officers who intend to engage in "anti-police conduct and cause disruption of police services".

Officers are said to be complaining about the perceived silence of the national police commissioner when they are murdered and the alleged harsh treatment meted out by the Independent Police Investigation Directorate (IPID).

According to an officer who was exposed to an e-mail that has been circulating among the police, they are angry that national Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega is neglecting to offer moral support to colleagues of officers who were killed on duty.

"They are complaining that the only time she was seen as supporting officers was during the funeral of an officer who was killed at Marikana," said a police source.

The officers also accuse Phiyega of failing to show support to members of the Cato Manor unit who were arrested after being accused of being a hit squad.

The state has charged more than 20 unit members of murder, theft and defeating the ends of justice.

The campaign to mobilise officers nationally stems from KwaZulu-Natal where several officers have been killed.

But KwaZulu-Natal police have rubbished reports that police officers are going on a three-hour strike on Monday .

"It's not true that there is a strike planned for Monday or any time. Police cannot go on strike because they are guided by the Constitution and the law as essential services," KwaZulu-Natal police spokesman Colonel Vincent Mdunge said yesterday.

Apparently there were calls to strike circulated on BBM after a police officer was charged on the spot for killing a robber who had shot dead his colleague minutes earlier in Durban at the weekend.

Detective-Constable Ajith Krishanlal was killed during an armed robbery at a fast food outlet last Friday night.

His colleague, Constable Jerome Mngoma, was shot four times during the same incident. Police retaliated, killing one of the suspects during the robbery, and IPID investigators are said to have opened a murder docket immediately after a suspect was killed, leaving other officers incensed.

Police ministry spokesman Zweli Mnisi told Sowetan yesterday that there was concern about the planned action which he said was illegal.

"Any police officer who will take part in that illegal activity will be undermining the Constitution."

Police unions were yesterday cautious about the members' intention to strike.

The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union's spokeswoman Theto Mahlakoana said although the union would not encourage members to be part of an illegal action, "every individual in South Africa can take a decision about what action they can take to improve their wellbeing and conditions".

"If members decide on their own to take action about things they are unhappy about there is nothing the union can do," she said.

"We do not endorse their action because it is illegal, but they have a right as individuals to do whatever they feel will help to change their conditions."

The SA Policing Union's general secretary, Oscar Skommere, said his union had sent officials to "go and find out" what officers grievances were.

"We have not been fully briefed about what prompted this," said Skommere.

"We know there are police killings and we have raised issues with the commissioner about the need to improve police training. We believe that there is a better way to resolve their grievances rather than taking an illegal route."

Comments

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Sat May 25 16:18:51 SAST 2013 ::

Oct 12, 2012

cocolucho

Oh, i'm sorry, I thought that they've been on strike for all these years. Best to dish out mob justice to all criminals during the 3 hours then

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Oct 12, 2012

Tasto

Banana Demoncrazy Republic !!
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Oct 12, 2012

warry

Hahahaha you need to be babysitter. Shame on you don't you know the saying life goes on. Or is it a way of bringing back Bheki Celebration.
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Oct 12, 2012

Mosquer

Sometimes the judgement is not fair. thug kill a police without even being mercifull and other officers responded they are charged.

We must not blame police for bail of criminals but justice system. they are the reason for all these mess
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Oct 12, 2012

spantusenkgang

@cocolucho
ha ha ha ha. nice one darling. they might as well strike for 3years. we have mob justice for resolve criminal matters
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Oct 12, 2012

malemaforpresident

Here now lets blame everybody for voting for the ANC in 1994 things are now out of hands
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Oct 12, 2012

cornelius

Ag jir..re please, they are looking fo rreasons to protest - stop whining about support and just do your jobs.
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Oct 12, 2012

Shredder

3 hours? There won't be a visible difference. Things will stay as they are. I suggest they should protest for 3 months and they will see crime go down drastically as people would solve crime problem themselves.
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Oct 12, 2012

PoliceChiefDavidCouper

Police need to know that striking is not always the best tactic. Public education? Talking about the issues and what really needs to improve and how they will be part of the reform -- how about that? Improving police is a daunting task but rank and file officers can help make it happen. I suggest you consult my new book for some ideas. I think it will help. Most folks know little about police and what they should expect from them. My book outlines these and other issues, “Arrested Development: A Veteran Police Chief Sounds Off About Protest, Racism, Corruption and the Seven Steps Necessary to Improve Our Nation’s Police” (Amazon.com) and visit my blog at http://improvingpolice.wordpress.com where I discuss even more issues facing those who police a democracy and how improvement can occur and be sustained!
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